Archive for 'Apulia'

Apulia is truly awash with grand architectural feats varying from towns featuring skylines filled with the conical roofs of the large number of remaining traditional trulli houses, to grand and sumptuous Baroque cities and beyond. However, one of the most iconic buildings in the entire region, even amongst these many wonderful contenders, has to be the magical Castel del Monte.

Located not far from the town of Bari, this UNESCO-awarded 13th century wonder was commissioned by Frederick II of Swabia. Perched in a strategic position atop a hill, it boasts astounding panoramic views over the surrounding landscape. Like something plucked right from the pages of some epic fantasy novel, this extraordinary octagonal fortress is a must-see for those who find a villa in Apulia and who come to dive into the region’s rich cultural and artistic heritage on vacation.

Corte Tiso is a charming little apartment decorated in a chic modern style that is located in the stunning historic centre of Lecce. Known as the, “Florence of the South,” this sumptuous city is full of architectural gems and incredible works of art and combines a rich cultural heritage with all of the charms of a vacation in Apulia. Corte Tiso, similarly, offers both charming traditional and historic surroundings as well as all of the mod-cons that you could ask for during a holiday in Italy.

We’ve recently been thinking (and dreaming!) a lot about vacations in Apulia especially as our range of villas in Apulia here on Italy Villas is so incredible and includes some wonderful traditional trulli structures. Recently, we did a deep dive on the trullo, a type of traditional stone house that is unique to the region of Apulia and is characterised by a conical roof and distinctive construction, built without the use of any mortar by carefully stacking limestone blocks to form sturdy walls. 

The stunning southern region of Apulia in Italy is known for its amazing beaches, incredible food and wine, its rich cultural heritage, and its picturesque landscapes and towns but, in particular, it is a region that boasts some truly extraordinary architectural gems from astonishing fortresses, to elegant churches, to charming traditional houses. Among these and among the latter category, especially, the fairytale-like trulli of Alberobello stand out as something extra-special and, as we have some villas in Apulia that are located inside trulli or that have trulli as part of the property, they can be experienced in a totally unique way during your holiday. Live inside the cultural heritage of Italy for a little while on your next vacation with Italy Villas!

Ostuni, known as the, "White City," or, "Città Bianca," in Italian, is located in the heart of Apulia. Comparable to Greece’s Santorini, it features distinctive white buildings stacked on a hilltop overlooking the region and the coast a short distance away. While the town is wonderful in many ways and boasts lots of incredible attractions, its visual appeal and iconic architecture is one of the primary elements that attracts visitors from all around the world. Book one of our villas in Ostuni today and you will have the opportunity to explore and appreciate the city's striking architecture up close for yourself on your next getaway.

The town's impressive white buildings are truly stunning, especially when viewed from afar, but it isn’t just about visuals. The caustic limestone that was used in the construction of the Old Town and then whitewashed was considered an important health measure used during the Middle Ages to help combat plagues by, “reflecting,” the, “bad airs,” that people of the time believed caused the illness. While our understanding of disease has become more advanced, the whitewashing does actually have antibacterial properties and really is thought to have helped reduce illness in the city to a degree.